1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a life saving apparatus having an inflatable float body which is not obstructive to a wearer's action under a normal inoperative condition of the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an example of a life saving apparatus having an inflatable float body, the Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 2004-98936 discloses a life saving apparatus 101 having a construction as follows. Namely, this conventional life saving apparatus 101, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, includes a cover 102, a float body 103 and a gas charging device 104. The cover 102 has a flat laterally elongate shape, and a pair of buckles 106 are provided at opposed lateral ends of the cover 102 via belts 105. By engaging the buckles 106 at the opposed ends with each other, the cover 102 can be attached around the waist of a wearer P. Further, the cover 102 includes surface fasteners 107 at upper end lower edges thereof. Then, as the cover 102 houses the float body 103 therein, the upper and lower edges of the cover 102 are laid one on the other for mutual engagement, thus forming a flattened tubular assembly.
The float body 103 is a substantially U-shaped body forming a discontinuity (opening) on the front side of the wearer's P body when the float body 103 is inflated. Further, this float body 103 is permanently fixed, by means of adhesion or the like, to the cover 102. Under its un-inflated condition, the float body 103 is folded and housed inside the flattened tubular cover 102. At opposed ends of the float body 103, there are provided a pair of buckles 109 via belts 108. As the buckles 109 at the opposed ends are engaged with each other, inadvertent detachment of the float body 103 from the wearer's P body is effectively prevented. The gas charging device 103 is attached to the float body 103. In response to detection of water intrusion or a manual operation thereof, the gas charging device 103 is activated to charge gas such as carbon dioxide gas into the float body 103 for its inflation.
When a wearer floats on the surface of water with the aid of the buoyancy of the life saving apparatus, it is generally believed that the ideal posture of this floating wearer is a rearwardly inclined posture, with the face of the wearer being oriented obliquely upward. With the above-described construction of the conventional life saving apparatus 101, however, it has proven difficult for the wearer P to assume such rearwardly inclined floating posture with good stability on the water surface, under the floated condition of the float body 103. More particularly, with this conventional life saving apparatus 101, the float body 103 is fixed integrally with the cover 102 attached around the waist of the wearer P. On the other hand, it is not possible to completely fix this cover 102 to the waist of the wearer P. Accordingly, when the wearer P falls into water and the float body 103 is inflated, as illustrated in FIG. 7, by the buoyancy of the float body 103, the entire cover 102 containing the float body 103 therein tends to be displaced upward as far as to the underarms of the wearer P. As a result, the axis X of the body of the wearer P will be aligned substantially perpendicular to the water surface, so that even with a slight loss of body balance, the wearer P may inadvertently assume a forwardly inclined posture, under which posture the wearer's face may easily dive into water.